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Q&A What's the difference between null pointers and NULL?

In short, NULL is the 0 value, and a null pointer is a pointer variable that points to nothing. some systems allowing a different representation of the null pointer other than zero Years back...

posted 4y ago by sonofel‭  ·  edited 4y ago by EJP‭

Answer
#2: Post edited by user avatar EJP‭ · 2020-12-14T13:46:52Z (almost 4 years ago)
  • In short, NULL is the 0 value, and a null pointer (void *) is a pointer variable that points to nothing.
  • > some systems allowing a different representation of the null pointer other than zero
  • Years back compilers implemented some things on their own, partly because the language standards weren't strictly defined and imposed. For instance, I remember using a compiler that handled ```random``` related implementations in a different manner than other compilers. So, while some compilers defined their own null pointer implementation, NULL was always 0.
  • > Can NULL be something other than zero?
  • No, I don't think so. However, you can tweak a compiler to replace instances of NULL with a value other than 0, but that wouldn't be a standard C compiler then.
  • In short, NULL is the 0 value, and a null pointer is a pointer variable that points to nothing.
  • > some systems allowing a different representation of the null pointer other than zero
  • Years back compilers implemented some things on their own, partly because the language standards weren't strictly defined and imposed. For instance, I remember using a compiler that handled ```random``` related implementations in a different manner than other compilers. So, while some compilers defined their own null pointer implementation, NULL was always 0.
  • > Can NULL be something other than zero?
  • No, I don't think so. However, you can tweak a compiler to replace instances of NULL with a value other than 0, but that wouldn't be a standard C compiler then.
#1: Initial revision by user avatar sonofel‭ · 2020-10-20T13:00:22Z (about 4 years ago)
In short, NULL is the 0 value, and a null pointer (void *) is a pointer variable that points to nothing.


 >  some systems allowing a different representation of the null pointer other than zero

Years back compilers implemented some things on their own, partly because the language standards weren't strictly defined and imposed. For instance, I remember using a compiler that handled ```random``` related implementations in a different manner than other compilers. So, while some compilers defined their own null pointer implementation, NULL was always 0.


 > Can NULL be something other than zero?

No, I don't think so. However, you can tweak a compiler to replace instances of NULL with a value other than 0, but that wouldn't be a standard C compiler then.